


Going with the Flow

by FishiesGoneFiction



Category: Runescape (Video Games)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-05
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:41:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23499193
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FishiesGoneFiction/pseuds/FishiesGoneFiction
Summary: Jahaan and Sliske spend a night drinking together, but Jahaan has a little too much...
Kudos: 9





	Going with the Flow

**Author's Note:**

> To anyone who's read my Of Gods and Men series, this story isn't in the canon of that universe - it's just a bit of fun :)

It had become a routine now, and a pleasant one at that. Jahaan would venture around to Sliske’s abode, one he purchased just outside of Catherby, every fortnight or so, just for a social call. Usually, alcohol was involved in moderate capacities, nothing too extreme, nothing to prevent Jahaan from leaving at the end of the night and safely making his way back to his lodgings. This time, however, Jahaan had brought a lot of alcohol, and declared that he intended to drink the majority of it. He’d returned from an expedition to the Lunar Isle where drinking was prohibited, and decided to make up for lost time.

Mahjarrat could not get intoxicated under conventional means, and the alcohol Jahaan had brought wouldn’t suffice in getting Sliske the least bit tipsy. Sliske considered purchasing some for himself, but the thought of getting to watch Jahaan slowly descend into a drunken mess while he remained with his faculties intact seemed… interesting. It’s not like he hadn’t seen Jahaan drunk before - a handful of times, in fact - but that was whiskey drunk.

Tonight, Jahaan had supplied  _ wine _ .

Not usually the tipple of choice for the World Guardian, but he’d been given a crate in lieu of payment after helping Varrockian nobility out with a little problem, and Jahaan was never one to let good alcohol go to waste.

The night started off well, Jahaan and Sliske conversing lightly like they always did. Both had a plethora of stories from their travels, but having been around ten thousand years longer, Sliske’s library of tales seemed endless. As usual, Jahaan happily let Sliske dominate the conversation, learning more about his time in Senntisten as he did. The thought never failed to amuse Jahaan, the idea of Sliske having a desk job that is.

“I was rather good at it, you know,” Sliske would always defend. “I filed reports on time, I ran underlings… I even had a filing cabinet!”

But after about five glasses of rather strong wine (Sliske had examined a bottle, noting the contents but allowing Jahaan to figure out the strength for himself) there became something else Jahaan found rather amusing.

Not that he would say what. He just started to smile, stupidly. Like he was doing everything in his power to keep a straight face and failing miserably.

Then, Jahaan started giggling.

Raising an eyebrow, Sliske bit back a grin. “What’s so funny?”

Hands clasped around his mouth tightly, Jahaan tried to physically suppress his laughter. However, efforts futile, Jahaan’s cheeks turned red and he all but erupted with laughter, unable to contain it any longer. It didn’t seem to die down any time soon; Sliske tried to ride out the storm, but his comrade’s drunken hysteria just increased with every passing minute.

“What is it?” Sliske pressed, baffled. He looked all around him, and nothing into the vicinity would seem to rouse such a response. Wracking his mind through the past conversation, nothing sparked there either. It was a mystery.

However, three more glasses later, Jahaan’s amusement was no mystery at all, but it was equally as baffling.

“Sssssssssliisssskkeeeee!”

Jahaan had suddenly found the name very, very funny.

“SsssssliiiissssKKKKAAAYYYYYYY!”

Sliske rubbed the bridge of his nose, chuckling through his exasperation. “Yes, yes that is my name.”

It only got worse when Jahaan found just how entertaining the phrase “Okay Sliske” seemed to be through his drunken drawls.

Singing, that seemed to be another thing Jahaan liked to do when he was hammered. Sing badly at that. Sliske had observed Jahaan when drunk before at taverns, and karaoke was not reserved for wine-drunk only - he’d belt out a terrible rendition of whatever was on his mind or whatever the bard was playing. Sliske knew the words, and had a much better singing voice, but hearing Jahaan drawl the words to ‘An Elven Wonderland’ solo was beautifully tragic, considering occasionally he’d just stop half way through a verse and stare into space until he was prompted to continue. For the life of him Sliske could not figure out why Jahaan kept getting so distracted, but he rolled with it.

After a total of a dozen glasses, Jahaan decided the room was rather constrictive and wanted to leave.

“I need… fffresh air,” Jahaan demanded, shooting up from the sofa so fast that he nearly toppled over. Sliske slipped behind him fast enough to catch him, not that Jahaan even realised, let alone thanked him. Together, the two of them stumbled outside, Sliske having to hold Jahaan back and slow the eager World Guardian’s footsteps, lest they crash into the numerous obstructions in the way of them and the door.

Slowly, but surely, they made their way outside into the crisp night air, and Jahaan’s features lit up as he took a deep breath in. Dazedly tilting his head upwards, Jahaan commented, “Look at the pwetty stars… they’re in a sorta… pattern.”

Rolling his eyes with a light chuckle, Sliske held back a remark about Jahaan’s budding career as an astrologer. “That’s the Centurion Constellation,” he explained, casually. Sliske had been around for far too long not to take an interest in the skies.

Murmuring something with a smile, Jahaan strode onwards, his starting movements a little too jerky for Slike’s liking. Sliske tried to prop him up, but the height difference wasn’t doing anyone any favours, and Jahaan’s swaying meant that, like a wrecking ball, he would throw his weight into Sliske at full force before lulling in the other direction. While desperately trying to keep the World Guardian upright, he was paying too much attention to Jahaan's movements and not enough on his own, so he didn’t see the drop in the pavement until it was too late. This, coupled with the timing of Jahaan’s sways, sent the two tumbling down to the ground.

While Sliske had landed rather awkwardly on his back, Jahaan had managed to land directly onto Sliske’s stomach, knocking the wind right out of him.

Jahaan, giggling like a schoolgirl, remarked, “Heheheee… we fell over.”

Sighing, Sliske tried to shift slightly to make the position a little less painful, considering Jahaan’s elbow was digging right into his ribcage. “Yes, I gathered that.”

Propping himself up slightly, to the thanks of Sliske’s aching ribs, Jahaan’s hazy eyes looked down into Sliske’s yellow ones, his head swaying slightly. He was regarding him weirdly.

Scrunching his brow, Sliske warily inquired, “What is it?”

Slowly, Jahaan lifted his left arm to Sliske’s forehead. In the fall, Sliske’s hood had been pulled back, exposing the amber crystals in his forehead. Lightly, he traced his fingers over them, mumbling, “They’re so pretty…”

Gulping, Sliske cleared his throat and looked at the stars above them, staring beyond Jahaan. “Thank you. Now, if you please…?”

Jahaan’s head lulled to one side, a lopsided smile painted upon his blushed features as he stopped studying Sliske’s crystals and instead gazed directly into the Mahjarrat’s eyes. They were close enough that Sliske was consumed by the stench of wine on Jahaan’s breath, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Rather, it was fruity and warming.

But the proximity caused heat to rush to Sliske’s cheeks. “What are you doing?”

“Nothing…” there was an edge to Jahaan’s voice, something akin to mischievous. He’d heard it from others before, but never from the World Guardian.

His suspicions were confirmed when Jahaan put a finger to Sliske’s collarbone and lazily traced it down his chest. Chills ran down Sliske’s spine and he forced his eyes closed.

The World Guardian was clearly very, very drunk.

It was a clear night, and it was a secluded part of town. The next house was half a mile down the road. That’s why Sliske purchased it - it allowed him to be on Gielinor’s surface, close to life, but without having to stay in a shapeshifted form like his brother did. No, Sliske wasn’t worried about witnesses.

What he was worried about, he would comment upon, still with his eyes closed. “You’ve had a lot to drink, Janny. Why don’t we go inside and get some rest?”

Jahaan leaned in closer to Sliske’s ear, though due to the alcohol in his system, he overshot and nearly planted himself on the pavement before correcting himself. “I’m happy rrright here.... aren’t you~?”

Sliske bit his lip. Jahaan always got a bit more…  _ confident _ , when he was intoxicated. But he never acted so forward - it just wasn’t in his nature. It was the wine talking.

But Jahaan breathing huskily into Sliske’s ear caused him to shiver.

“Jahaan…” Sliske warned, suddenly very aware of his friend; of how Jahaan smelt, of how his skin was warmer than usual, of how the flush on his face was adorable. The Mahjarrat swallowed thickly as Jahaan raised his head to study him intently.

Jahaan was not a flirt. That was more of Sliske’s forte. The Mahjarrat would tease and taunt, using his attempts at seduction to rattle the World Guardian, to get under his skin. It was their dance by now. Jahaan had never been one to reciprocate, let alone lead.

Jahaan smirked with half-lidded eyes, and then he leaned forward until their lips brushed.

“I k-know you waaant this…”

Of course Sliske wanted this. He’d been carrying a not-so-subtle torch for Jahaan since they’d met, and although Sliske loved to test boundaries, he’d couldn’t let it happen like this. Not when Jahaan had enough alcohol in his system to make a cow drunk, not when he was hardly responsible for his own thoughts and actions, not when he’d wake up tomorrow full of shame and regret.

So, Sliske did the only rational thing he could think of doing right now.

He teleported out from underneath Jahaan.

Sliske materialised a few feet away, quick enough to hear the dull thump of Jahaan colliding with the pavement. He was only a few inches off the ground so there was no worry there, but due to the World Guardian’s hindered reaction time, he landed face first on the cold stone.

Wincing, Sliske turned around hesitantly, expecting slurred indignant protests. Instead, Jahaan seemed rather at home on the floor, peacefully mumbling to himself.

_ Perhaps the knock has cleared his mind a little bit? _ Sliske mused, trying to regain composure and still his rapidly beating heart. 

Sniffing a laugh, Sliske lifted Jahaan up into his arms, who seemed half asleep now, a dozy grin expressing mild entertainment at suddenly being lifted into the air.

“Wheere we going…?” Jahaan asked, drool escaping from the corner of his mouth.

Silently, Sliske carried Jahaan through the doorway, careful not to bump his head as he did so, and upstairs to the guest bedroom. Using one hand to keep a hold of Jahaan, the Mahjarrat pulled back the covers with the other and gently placed Jahaan into the embrace of the comfy mattress. As soon as his head hit the pillow, Jahaan hummed in contentment, not noticing Sliske remove his boots and carefully swing his legs inside the covers.

Jahaan didn’t protest when Sliske went to exit the bedroom, already dozing off.

Sliske looked over his shoulder with a regretful smile. If he’d acted on the moment, where would they be right now?

Sliske shook the thoughts from his mind. Jahaan would no doubt awake tomorrow with very little memory of his previous antics, and perhaps that was for the best. If something ever happened between them, Sliske didn’t want it to be a drunken roll in the hay.

Settling down on his own bed, Sliske sighed deeply, cursing his newfound morality.

Then, he realised he was going to have to deal with a very hungover Jahaan tomorrow morning.

Groaning, Sliske turned on his side and tried to get some sleep, cherishing the hours of bliss before he had to face  _ that monster _ in his house.


End file.
